Dryers save time and make laundry easy. One doesn’t have to put the clothes in the sun while waiting for them to dry for several hours. However, dryer vents might get clogged if they’re not taken care of. Check out how you can detect if your dryer vent is clogged and the steps involved in dryer vent cleaning.
See also: Cleaner for Dryer: How to Clean and Maintain a Dryer?
Clogged dryer vents
A dryer has a complex working mechanism, and as it dries clothes, it might attract all the dust, lint and small threads stuck on the clothes. These get accumulated over time and restrict the airflow, which makes the dryer inefficient. A clogged vent is not just inefficient; it is also a potential fire hazard and must be attended to immediately before further use.
How to do clean dryer vent?
Before starting with the cleaning of a dryer vent, you should know when to do it. There are some obvious signs that tell when your dryer vent needs to be cleaned:Reduced efficiency, i.e. clothes taking lots of time to get dried.
- Fresh clothes start smelling weird after drying.
- The drier gets really hot while heating.
- Lint buildup.
Dryer vent cleaning: The process
Collect the necessary tools
- Screwdriver
- Vacuum cleaner
- A cleaning kit or a brush
Disconnect the dryer
The first step is to cut off the electrical supply to the dryer to ensure no electrical hazards occur while repairing.
Access the vent
With the help of a screwdriver, carefully detach all the parts of a dryer vent. Start by removing the lint trap and then detaching the exhaust hose.
Use a vacuum cleaner
With the help of a vacuum cleaner, clean the insides of the vent. Make sure to extract all the lint and dirt stuck inside.
Start cleaning with a brush
With the help of a brush, you can remove the stuck-up lint and debris. Start moving the brush back and forth, and make sure you clean up all the way to the back and get all the debris stuck inside. You might be able to clean it all in a few tries.
Check the exterior vent
While you’re cleaning the interior, don’t forget to clean the exteriors as the dirt gets accumulated there too. First, use a vacuum cleaner and then use a brush if needed.
Put all the things back!
Now that you have completed the cleaning process, you can reassemble all the parts. Make sure you fix everything properly, and then turn on the electrical supply again.
Test the dryer
Now that you have successfully cleaned everything, you can turn on the dryer and observe if it’s working as efficiently as before. After cleaning the dryer, it should be more efficient and not get unusually hot while doing its job.
FAQs
Why is it important to clean the dryer vent?
Cleaning your dryer is important as all the lint and debris buildup can cause a major fire hazard.
How often should you clean the dryer?
Whenever the dryer starts being inefficient and gets unusually hot when it's on, you should consider cleaning the vent. Besides this, lint buildup is also a dead giveaway to clean your dryer vent soon.
What to do if there is no dryer cleaning kit with me?
You can use a vacuum cleaner and a brush to clean the insides thoroughly.
Does cleaning a dryer vent have economic benefits too?
Cleaning a dryer improves its efficiency and saves money on your electricity bill.
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